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Kaneshiro Kōfuku

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In this Japanese name, the surname is Kaneshiro.

Kaneshiro Kōfuku (February 27, 1953 - December 29, 2002) was a sumo wrestler from Takanabe, Miyazaki, Japan. He made his professional debut in September 1969, and reached the top division in September 1974. His highest rank was sekiwake. He was a runner-up in two tournaments and earned two gold stars and three Fighting Spirit prizes. After retiring in 1987 he opened up a sumo-themed restaurant. He died of a heart attack in 2002.

Kaneshiro Kōfuku
金城 興福
Personal information
BornKōfuku Kaneshiro
(1953-02-27)February 27, 1953
Takanabe, Miyazaki, Japan
DiedDecember 29, 2002(2002-12-29) (aged 49)
Height1.84 m (6 ft 1⁄2 in)
Weight140 kg (310 lb; 22 st)
Career
StableKasugano
Record683-725-22
DebutSeptember, 1969
Highest rankSekiwake (July, 1977)
RetiredMay, 1987
Special PrizesFighting Spirit (3)
Gold Stars2 (Wajima)
* Up to date as of Sep. 2012.

Career edit

He was born in 1953, the same year as future top division stars Kitanoumi, Wakanohana II, Kirinji and Ōnishiki, and these five were often grouped together. He was active in judo and wrestling at high school, and was introduced to the head coach of Kasugano stable, the former Tochinishiki, by an employee of TBS broadcasting. He made his professional debut in September 1969 (the same tournament as Hakuryuyama [ja]) and reached jūryō in March 1973. He reached the top makuuchi division in September 1974 at the age of 21, and won his first special prize for Fighting Spirit in March 1977. He reached his highest rank of sekiwake in July 1977 but held it for only one tournament. He was ranked at komusubi on six occasions. After being runner-up in the January 1979 tournament and winning a second Fighting Spirit prize he changed his shikona or fighting name to Tochihikari, in honour of ōzeki Tochihikari Masayuki, who also fought for Kasugano stable. It was hoped that he could also reach the ōzeki rank. He was runner-up for the second time in May 1980, and won a third Fighting Spirit prize, but he had poor record against yokozuna. He had earned two kinboshi by defeating Wajima in consecutive tournaments in November 1975 and January 1976, but was never able to defeat Kitanoumi, losing to him 29 straight times, which is a record for consecutive losses against the same opponent. He was also unable to beat Mienoumi, Wakanohana Kanji II, or Chiyonofuji when they were ranked at yokozuna, and his overall record was just two wins against yokozuna in 68 attempts. This was one of the reasons why he never became a sanyaku regular. Nevertheless, he had a steady record against lower ranked wrestlers, and few injuries, and was able to hold his own in makuuchi for ten years. His 60th and final top division tournament was in January 1985. After falling back to the jūryō division, he was no longer considered worthy of the prestigious Tochihikari name and so reverted to Kaneshiro, his birth name.[1]

Retirement from sumo edit

He retired in May 1987, to avoid falling to the makushita division. He left the sumo world upon retirement, as he had been unable to acquire elder stock in the Japan Sumo Association and remain as a coach. In addition to financial difficulty in securing the stock, the Sumo Association had also introduced a rule in 1976 requiring Japanese citizenship to become an elder, and Kaneshiro, because of his Korean parentage, was not eligible by birth and could not acquire citizenship until it was too late.[1] He went into the restaurant business, opening a sumo themed restaurant named "Tochihikari" in Kasugai, Aichi and later opening branches in Osaka and Sendai, Miyagi. He died on December 29, 2002, at the age of 49, from a heart attack.[2]

Fighting style edit

Kaneshiro had a flexible body and low centre of gravity with weight around his hips, and specialized in the underarm throw (shitatenage) and leg kicks such as ketaguri. His most common winning kimarite were yorikiri (force out) and oshidashi (push out).

Career record edit

Kaneshiro Kofuku[3]
Year January
Hatsu basho, Tokyo		 March
Haru basho, Osaka		 May
Natsu basho, Tokyo		 July
Nagoya basho, Nagoya		 September
Aki basho, Tokyo		 November
Kyūshū basho, Fukuoka
1969 x x x x (Maezumo) West Jonokuchi #2
3–4
 
1970 East Jonidan #71
5–2
 		 East Jonidan #32
4–3
 		 West Jonidan #14
4–3
 		 East Sandanme #78
2–5
 		 East Jonidan #22
4–3
 		 West Jonidan #10
5–2
 
1971 West Sandanme #52
3–3–1
 		 West Sandanme #62
5–2
 		 West Sandanme #35
5–2
 		 West Sandanme #10
4–3
 		 West Makushita #60
4–3
 		 East Makushita #52
2–5
 
1972 East Sandanme #11
4–3
 		 East Sandanme #3
6–1
 		 East Makushita #34
6–1–P
 		 West Makushita #11
4–3
 		 East Makushita #9
4–3
 		 West Makushita #6
5–2
 
1973 East Makushita #3
6–1
 		 East Jūryō #11
7–8
 		 East Jūryō #13
8–7
 		 East Jūryō #11
7–8
 		 West Jūryō #12
10–5
 		 West Jūryō #5
7–2–6
 
1974 West Jūryō #6
7–8
 		 West Jūryō #7
7–8
 		 East Jūryō #3
7–8
 		 East Jūryō #6
11–4
 		 East Maegashira #12
9–6
 		 East Maegashira #8
9–6
 
1975 East Maegashira #3
5–10
 		 West Maegashira #8
8–7
 		 East Maegashira #6
6–9
 		 East Maegashira #9
8–7
 		 East Maegashira #6
9–6
 		 West Maegashira #2
9–6
★
1976 East Maegashira #1
8–7
★		 West Komusubi #1
4–11
 		 West Maegashira #5
8–7
 		 West Maegashira #2
8–7
 		 West Maegashira #1
3–12
 		 West Maegashira #8
9–6
 
1977 East Maegashira #2
5–10
 		 East Maegashira #7
11–4
F		 East Komusubi #1
8–7
 		 West Sekiwake #1
5–10
 		 East Maegashira #3
6–9
 		 East Maegashira #6
9–6
 
1978 East Maegashira #2
8–7
 		 West Komusubi #1
3–12
 		 East Maegashira #8
8–7
 		 West Maegashira #4
6–9
 		 East Maegashira #7
10–5
 		 East Maegashira #2
5–10
 
1979 West Maegashira #7
12–3
F		 East Komusubi #1
6–9
 		 West Maegashira #1
5–10
 		 West Maegashira #5
9–6
 		 West Komusubi #1
2–13
 		 West Maegashira #7
10–5
 
1980 East Maegashira #1
5–10
 		 West Maegashira #4
5–10
 		 West Maegashira #10
12–3
F		 West Komusubi #1
5–10
 		 East Maegashira #4
6–9
 		 East Maegashira #7
6–9
 
1981 West Maegashira #11
10–5
 		 West Maegashira #2
5–10
 		 West Maegashira #5
8–7
 		 West Maegashira #2
7–8
 		 West Maegashira #3
3–12
 		 West Maegashira #9
10–5
 
1982 East Maegashira #4
6–9
 		 East Maegashira #6
9–6
 		 East Maegashira #2
4–11
 		 West Maegashira #10
9–6
 		 West Maegashira #5
6–9
 		 West Maegashira #9
7–8
 
1983 West Maegashira #10
8–7
 		 East Maegashira #6
7–8
 		 West Maegashira #6
9–6
 		 East Maegashira #1
1–14
 		 East Maegashira #12
9–6
 		 East Maegashira #4
4–11
 
1984 East Maegashira #12
9–6
 		 East Maegashira #5
5–10
 		 East Maegashira #11
4–11
 		 West Jūryō #4
8–7
 		 West Jūryō #2
Sat out due to injury
0–0–15		 West Jūryō #2
9–6
 
1985 West Maegashira #13
2–13
 		 East Jūryō #8
8–7
 		 West Jūryō #5
10–5
 		 East Jūryō #2
5–10
 		 West Jūryō #7
8–7
 		 West Jūryō #4
7–8
 
1986 East Jūryō #7
9–6
 		 East Jūryō #2
5–10
 		 East Jūryō #8
8–7
 		 East Jūryō #5
8–7
 		 West Jūryō #3
3–12
 		 East Jūryō #13
8–7
 
1987 West Jūryō #11
8–7
 		 East Jūryō #9
6–9
 		 East Jūryō #12
Retired
2–13		 x x x
Record given as wins–losses–absencies    Top division champion Top division runner-up Retired Lower divisions Non-participation

Sanshō key: F=Fighting spirit; O=Outstanding performance; T=Technique     Also shown: ★=Kinboshi; P=Playoff(s)
Divisions: Makuuchi — Jūryō — Makushita — Sandanme — Jonidan — Jonokuchi

Makuuchi ranks: Yokozuna — Ōzeki — Sekiwake — Komusubi — Maegashira

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ a b Sharnoff, Lora (1993). Grand Sumo. Weatherhill. ISBN 0-8348-0283-X.
  2. ^ "Ex-sekiwake Kaneshiro dies at 49". Japan Times. 10 October 2003. Retrieved 12 February 2016.
  3. ^ "Kaneshiro Kofuku Rikishi Information". Sumo Reference. Retrieved 2012-09-05.
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